Nursing Continuing Education Consortium: A Collaborative Model for Education and Practice, The

Journal of Physical Therapy Education, Fall 2003 by Burkholder, Amy M

The Nursing Continuing Education Consortium: A Collaborative Model for Education and Practice. Nalle M, Brown M, Herrin D. Nurse Admin Q. 2001;26:60-66.

The need for quality continuing education is becoming increasingly evident with the ongoing nursing shortage and budget restraints. Nursing staff must be responsible for a wider array of patients, and continuing education should be directed toward that challenge. In order to save money and resources, many hospitals are considering methods of collaboration for educational programs. Due to the lack of programs and resources, the University of Tennessee College of Nursing developed the Nursing Continuing Education Consortium (NCEC). This became a partnership among local hospitals, health agencies, and the college of nursing to meet the community education needs in the area. The college of nursing was responsible for overseeing the program and approving continuing education credits. The group developed a survey to determine areas of educational desire. Critical care was chosen as the first topic because of the limited number of trained nurses in that area. Since cost effectiveness was essential, critical care educators within the group were utilized. A faculty member from the college of nursing coordinated the development of course objectives and content. Nursing faculty as well as faculty from participating agencies and hospitals were recommended to teach particular areas. Prerequisites for taking the course included at least 6 months of critical care experience and a basic electrocardiography course. Participants were recommended by their unit manager. A rating scale was established to evaluate the course, and participants were evaluated with a posttest. There still exists a need to evaluate the impact of this learning on nursing practice and long-term outcomes. The NCEC gathered information to compare baseline and post-consortium educational levels. This was critical to provide evidence of the cost effectiveness of the consortium. The awareness of limited staff and skills in the nursing field has caused a renewed interest in developing refresher courses for inactive nurses and providing current staff with increased knowledge. Standardized training and participation in consortium programs are cost-effective methods and provide benefits of collective knowledge. These programs also provide nurses with marketable experience while they earn continuing education credits. Due to the benefits of the NCEC effort, new programs are being developed to address the needs of all area agencies.

Amy M Burkholder, SPT

University of Indianapolis

Indianapolis, Ind